Herbal Remedies For Depression

Herbal remedies for depression can be as effective for relieving symptoms of depression without all the side effects. Side effects from commonly prescribed meds are numerous and range from craving sugar and carbohydrates resulting in weight gain for those taking amitriptyline according to The British Journal of Psychiatry to insomnia, nausea, the shakes and believe it or not anxiety for those taking serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs like Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac.

Given this, many have up and quit with their prescription meds simply because the landslide of sideffects that they get buried under simply isn't worth it. (Word of caution here: abruptly stopping with prescription meds can cause some serious withdrawls symptoms so it's best to decrease dosages slowly.)

Herbal Remedies For Depression and Some Statistics

• In a year nearly 15 million people experience some type of depressive disorder

• Statistically in the United States, women are nearly two times as likely as men to be diagnosed and treated for major depression. Nearly 1 in 4 women will battle severe depression in her lifetime according to the National Institue of Mental Health (NIMH).
  
• In the US nearly 2.5 percent of children suffer from depression with the depression rate being equal for boys and girls
  
• The exact cause of depression isn't known

Depression and Alternative Medicine - St. John's Wort
St. John's Wort. (Hypericum Perforatum)
Probably the best known herbal remedy for this is St. John's Wort. From the times of the ancient Greeks many believed it to be imbued with magical powers and it was used to treat everything from mild anxiety right down to insanity. Hypericum perforatum was found to be as effective as many very widely prescribed medications in combating mild depression in many studies. One may note that it wasn't found to be as effective for deep depression.

Those struggling with bi-polar disorder, have liver or kidney disorders and are pregnant or nursing shouldn't take St. John's Wort. Make sure to get extract standardized to 0.3% hypericin - the amount shown to be effective in clinical trials. You can buy it in tablet, tincture or capsules.

Green Tea
Add depression relief to the long, long list of things that amazing green tea can help clean up.
Researchers at Sendai’s Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering found that people over the age of 70 who drank four or more cups of green tea per day were 44 percent less likely to have issues with depression than those who drank less than four cups.

Siberian Ginseng
Siberian ginseng is also commonly used as a herbal remedy for depression as it improves the balance of critical neurotransmitters (including serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine) in the brain. An effective dosage is 400 mg. of a standardized extract 3 times per day.

Valerian Root
This natural remedy for depression is a calmative and has been used for centuries for reducing depression symptoms . It contains an essential oil and alkaloids which combine to produce a sedative effect on the mind and aid in insomnia as well. It shouldn't be taken by those using sedatives or other anti-anxiety medications.  You can make a simple tea with it by using 2 or 3 grams of the dried root in tea, up to several times daily. For extracts, 150–300 mg valerian extract, standardized to contain0.8% valerenic acid.

In numerous clinical studies throughout the US and Europe, Valerian Root has been found to significantly decrease stress, depression, anxiety and to induce sleep. Users who consistently use it usually report an overall reduction in feelings of restlessness and or anxiousness.

5-HTP is short for 5-hydroxytryptophan. It is produced naturally in the body transitionally when the body changes Tryptophan into Melatonin and Serotonin. Many report feeling substantially better in just a few days. (Some report experiencing more vivid dreams. Others have trouble getting going in the morning if dosages get to high. It's best to start with lower dosages and build up). 5-HTP can be found in stores everywhere and is a cheap treatment for depression.

An Alternative to Herbal Remedies For Depression
One thing to keep in mind is that whether you are using prescription meds or herbal remedies to combat depression symptoms the underlying cause of the depression remains. Especially if it is for example feeling trapped in a dead-end job or marriage.
Other "remedies for depression" shouldn't be overlooked. They can range from meditation and yoga to joining help self-help groups or removing e cause of the depression in the first place.

Related Pages

Diet for depression - Diet has an impact on our mood and total mental well being. Make sure you are getting enough of these important foods.
Vitamins for depression - Many vitamins have drastic effects on moods and can help you to fight off symptoms of depression.
Signs and Symptoms of Depression - Common warning signs associated with depression.
Home Remedies For Depression - Loved and time tested home remedies for depression. Did you know that apple is effective in treating minor depression?

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